The Portland daily press., 1887-08-24
DE BEcK's FORTUNE.
How Vast Wealth Came to Post
Trader Luis de Beck.
An Estate Which for Twelve Years
Waited a Claimant,
And Then Gave Seventeen Persons
Two Millions Each.

BOSTON, Aug. 23.-Ihe journal OF thlS
morning says: "a romantic story of sudden
accession of immense wealth has for its for
tunate subject Louis DeBeck, the post
trader at the navy yard In this city. A
grand-aunt whom he never saw. and Of
whom he knew nothing until he heard of
her money, has left an immense property in
Java valued at 62.OOO,OOO guilders. This
wealth is to be divided equally between
seventeen cousins. and Louis DeBeck is one
of the fortunate seventeen. He is the only
one who lives In this country. The others
live In his native land-Belgium. A reporter
saw Mr.. DeBeck at his home on Bunker
Hill street, Charlestown, last evening. To
DeBeek the story is not new, for he has
known for 10 years past of the prize that
was coming to him, and has had an oppor-
tunity to prepare for the great change in his
fortunes.
"The beginning of this strange story dates
back nearly century. In about the year
1910, Marie Won Water was employed In the
family of La CASA, merchant prince OF
Rotterdam, who owned vast coffee planta-
items in Java, and who had established an
enormous trade between that port and Rot
terdam. The cargoes for his ships consisted
almost entirely of coffee from the Java
plantations, which was prepared for the
market by several hundred slaves. This
merchant had but one son, and he became
enamored of his fathers pretty servant and
asked her to marry him. The father inter-
posed no objections, and the young people
were married. Soon after the marriage the
father and the young couple sailed for Java,
and spent the rest Of their lives on the plan
tations The father died in few years, and
the son succeeded to the vast estates, and
managed the property so shIewdly that 1t
increased largely in value. He died In 1858,
leaving but one ehild-a son-and his widow.
Then for several years the widow took a
personal interest In managing the planta-
tion for the benefit Of her child, but in 1869
the boy, too, died. The beartbroken woman
lost all interest in her great wealth, and left
having reached the ripe old age of "a years.
The plantations were in the Holland colony,
and the government took possession for the
benefit of the heirs. Active search was made
for the heirs. The family on the husbands
side was extinct. The government did not
know where to look for the relatives of the
deceased widow. The plantation was then
run in the interests Of the Holland govern
ment. AT the time Of the widow La Gassa's
death she owned the vast plantations and
more than 400 slaves in Java. IA ships, half
dozen barks, and several smaller coasting
vessels, together with extensive warehouses
in Rotterdam.
"a captain of one of the ships was the first
Of the rightful heirs. His mother knew
that the Widow La Gassa's maiden name
was Marie Won Water, and she casually
mentioned that fact TO her son. The cap
tain knew family named Van Water. in
Rotterdam, and the next time he touched at
that point-which was in 1877-he told these
friends that ii might be well for them to
look up their family and see if they were
not entitled to some OF the property in Java
held by the Holland government. Then it
that Mr. DaRQQk heard nf bic n0Od for
tune, and he thanked his lucky stars that his
grand aunt was Marie Won Water La CASA.
HE and his wife were in Bruges. Belgi-
um, haying, gone across @ the water on
ping at Rue de Carele AZ, and were quietly
chatting when suddenly the bell was rung
so violently that the rope was nearly broken.
Before the door could be opened by the
family 1t was burst In by several excited
men, who rushed up stairs into the room
where the astonished family were standing.
A hasty glance showed them that their visi-
tors were relatives. Everybody spoke at
Finally they became calmer, and told the
story OF the vast wealth awaiting them.
They counted noses" and found that sew
enteen cousins were entitled to equal shares
in the property. Then they sent out for
their friends and for wine, and spent the
night in merrymaking. They didn't then
know the value of the property, but they
knew that it would bring good many thou
sand gullderS TO eacn OIL them. An eminent
lawyer was engaged to investigate the case
in their interests. They easily proved their
relationship to the deceased owner of the
Java plantations. Then the lawyer presented
the case to the Belgian government sup
ported by all the necessary legal papers and
proofs After considerable official CORES
pondence between the Belgian and the Hol-
land governments, the latter signifed its
willingness to pay just sum for the proper
ty, with interest for the time it had been in
its hands. The Belgian government sent
Mr.. Henry NJ. Stanley, the African explorer,
to appraise the property in Java. He fixed
the value at 62,000,000 guilders, equal to
about S2S, $4,000 of our money. The Hol-
land government offered no objection to pay
ing that sum, and a few months ago the
necessary papers transferring the property
were signed. Now all that remains for the
interested parties is to affix their signatures
to the papers and receive their share Of the
money. The principal, with the accrued in
terest, will amount to nearly $2,O0O,0O0 for
aaah -